Willow Creek Mine Fire - A Chronology of Events
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March 29 thru May 15, 1999
Since the No.2 entry of the D-1 tailgate was discovered travelable from the D-1 seals to the longwall face, Willow Creek Mine personnel has been isolating the D-1 Tailgate No.1 entry from the No.2 entry with pumpable, cementitious foam or solid block explosion resistant seals. A "packwall" was erected in the No.2 entry to provide both an intake and a return to advance ventilation. Mine personnel have installed seals in the No. 22 Crosscut through the No. 35 Crosscut. A pipe with a manifold has been constructed to Borehole No. 2 for pumping carbon dioxide into the cut-through entries, the No. 2 tailgate entry and inby the longwall face to help keep these areas inert when longwall extraction takes place.
